


Red is the Devil's color

by MissStaMaria



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Horror, F/F, Murder Mystery, Mystery, Psychological Horror
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-18
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-07-13 23:56:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16028678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissStaMaria/pseuds/MissStaMaria
Summary: Detective Myoui is about to learn that not all devils has tails and scales, some have brown eyes and pretty smiles





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> updated fortnightly unless otherwise stated and I don't have severe life stuff and/or severe writer's block

This wasn’t supposed to happen, it wasn’t supposed to end up with a dead friend but somehow with her heart pounding inside her ears, the blood splattered on the walls, and the then beautiful woman wearing red now with curled horns and red eyes, her perfect pointy teeth showing while she cackles maniacally, chanting “I would claim your soul, and I will painfully rip it out of your body.”

Mina woke with a start to her flatmate knocking on her door, her bleary eyes trying to focus on the sunlight that was filtering through her room, wiping her cold sweat away from her forehead and shaking off the weird dream for the nth time. 

Her body ached, like someone had thrown her across the room and into a wall several times. 

“Minari! We’re going to be late for the case!” she hears her friend knock and shout incessantly.

Mina hurried to get dressed, she noticed two new bruises on her thighs which is of course means nothing to her now ever since she was sworn in two years ago as an officer for the homicide division of the national police force, due to the usual take downs, shooting, almost stabbing, and almost almost kidnap and bombing. 

With her increasing case assignments, Mina has been basically desensitized to blood, gore, violence, heck even fear itself. 

It is until then that this case started making her rethink of the word fear.


	2. 10, 9, 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Three bodies found, a pentagram, and a Mysterious lady.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this is earlier as promised but here's chapter 1! :) See you guys again in two weeks <3

An hour passed with her and Jeongyeon driving around the city in their car, with the case file on her lap showing the photo of the victim, and the contents of the case, slowly sipping her coffee not to spill even a drop on the papers in front of her.

“The vic is roughly on her early thirties, multiple gunshot wounds to the torso, all of which are close range, then about four rounds shot to her head. I'd say it's over kill but I guess the killer really didn't want the girl alive." Jeongyeon said turning to the next corner.

As she looked through the case file something struck her as odd, Mina had an eye for the things that were kinda throwing her off she has had that ever since she was a kid, but when ever she would notice these things it's like it would vanish before her eyes. Mina blinked again, she was sure there was a symbol she already saw sometime before on the victim's thigh, but when she looked again it vanished. 

"Any idea on the MO?" Mina said blinking rapidly and turning to the next page to read through. 

"None yet, but we're looking at the boyfriend as one of the prime suspects." the blonde shrugged briefly looking at Mina, "Hirai told me there wasn't any signs of forced entry, but we did get some of the swabs and some fingerprints to the lab. I'll have Chae get us something soon." she said while she unbuckled her seat belt and headed out.

Mina nodded, they were approaching the crime scene a dozen or so police cars surrounded the house the mid morning heat finally coming through. Mina approached the police line and showed another officer her badge, the police cars and sirens wailing attracting an audience to gawk and gather, she was immediately greeted by Momo once she passed the police lines, another officer for the homicide division who was in charge of processing the crime scene. 

"Hey, okay so I just sent Chaeyoung the swabs I got," Momo said shoving her phone back in her pocket. "it's really bloody in there." she warned. 

Mina walked towards the house and looked back again on the gathering onlookers, one woman really caught her eye, she has wearing a red coat with her short brown hair curled and tucked behind her ear, directly looking at Mina. Another wail of the sirens and when she looked at the woman again she vanished. She shook it off and proceeded to the front door.

The smell of death and rot reached Mina's nose the moment she opened the front door, the once beautiful walls now ruined by the dried blood coming from all different angles. Mina trudged further in the house, looking for anything that would help her understand the case. 

"See anything Myoui?" Jeongyeon said gloving her hands in preparation of their search. 

Mina shook her head, she hasn't found something yet. By now she would've found something out of the ordinary, like misplaced items, missing pieces of furniture, but no, Mina hasn't found anything yet.  
Mina wandered further, checking the room to her right, "Office" She mentally notes, creating a constructive floor plan of the house in her head. She starts her search again, going thoroughly to ever item before her. Inspecting every page of the books littered on the desk to the sills of the windows letting in sunlight to all the other rooms in the house, but everything is either wiped down or plain clean except for the bloody walls and floor. 

"Anything here?" Jeongyeon asked. Again Mina shook her head. "It's bugging you isn't it?" She raised an eyebrow. Mina sighed Jeongyeon was right, usually by now she would've seen or noticed anything, but it's like she's in a thick fog and she's just going around in circles. 

"Was there any sign of forced entry?" Mina asked getting up from where she was. 

"None, we might be looking at an inside job. We already have the boyfriend in custody but we have to hurry if he lawyers up then we won't get the chance." 

Mina felt defeated, there is something different in this house, like the killer was too careful, like they knew every step they were going to make. She went down the blood soaked hall. Then it hit her, "Why hasn't Momo taken the carpet?" 

Jeongyeon shrugged. "I mean she should've but you know Hirai." 

"Help me roll it up." Mina said getting on her knees. Surely enough just like Mina thought the killer wasn't so careful after all. 

"He might have cleaned up and made the place look pretty, he was so confident he left through the front door" Mina said, fishing her phone in her pocket to take a photo of a single bloody footprint. 

"As always, you always think of these things Mina." Jeongyeon nudged her shoulder. "Let's get to the lab and give this to Chae. I might have a feeling you'd want to meet our vic." 

Mina felt great, not only did she gather more evidence, she was glad she thought of that last minute. She smiled to herself while she walked to the exam room. 

"Someone's happy." Tzuyu said not even looking up from her clipboard. "You found something didn't you?"

"She found a bloody print under the carpet." Jeongyeon boasted. "So where's our vic?"

"Alright ladies, meet our Jane Doe." Tzuyu said uncovering the cold body of a woman. "Seventeen stab wounds to the chest, multiple defensive wounds and lacerations to the arms and legs suggesting an altercation broke out, and she fought for her life. Four hit her lungs, 3 hit her heart and the other was just point blank. I'd say whoever did this was mad but they weren't done with her easily." Tzuyu said pointing at each of the wound. "She might have survived initially but three shots to the head ain't that pretty. All entry wounds are from the posterior side of the skull executioner style, but I guess they missed on the fourth." 

Mina pictured the scene in her head, trying to work out how this possible murder commence without anyone noticing it. 

"As you can see total rigor mortis has already set predominantly, she's been dead for maybe thirty-six to forty-eight hours or so." Tzuyu said placing her clipboard down on the cold metal counter.  
"And no one even noticed her. No police reports, or missing person report." Mina said placing her hand on her hips.

"One more thing you might want to know Mina..." Tzuyu pointed to a white scar proudly embossed on the girl's skin.

"Is that an X?" Mina asked as she looked closer. "I think it is.." Jeongyeon inspected. "Did we get any DNA match?" 

"I sent some up to Chaeng, I think she has some news for you upstairs. I'll let you know if I find anything else on her." Tzuyu said placing back the sheet on the victim's face.

The elevator ride to the lab where Chaeyoung gave Mina a lot of time to think: a possible motive, a possible suspect, a possible anything. 

The elevator doors open and they're greeted with the full cyber office. 

"What's up losers?" One person greeted.

"Hey Dahyun." Mina greeted back, "Have anything for us?"

"Welp... check this out." Dahyun said, typing on her keyboard. "Meet Riley Kang, thirty-two, elementary teacher. Last seen leaving her school. No missing persons report, no police report."

"Any records on her?" Mina asked. 

"Well she's clean, if you count a pull over four months ago as something then just that." Dahyun said, pulling up the DUI copy on the large screen. 

"Has Momo sent you the floor plan to the crime scene?" Jeongyeon inquired. 

"I just uploaded them on the dots program." She said pulling up the floor plan on her screen again. "This is from our 3D cams. So I just did a map to recreate how she was killed. Get ready for some magic."

Before Dahyun could even press the button, Jeongyeon's phone rang.

"It's Momo." she said, swiping on the screen of her phone. "Hey Momo. What's up?"

Jeongyeon's eyebrows furrowed, "Alright we'll be there soon. I'll tag Tzuyu along, alright. Bye"

"Any problem?" Mina asked as Jeongyeon took her coat. 

"They found another body. Get Tzuyu, I'll go get the car. Dahyun tell Chae I'll talk to her when we get back." Jeongyeon said hurrying out the glass doors. 

The drive to the creek to where they found the body was fairly quick, partly because of Jeongyeon's fast driving and because of isolated location of the body away from traffic.  
They got out of the car and dodge the police lines that cordoned off the location of the body. 

Camera flashes went off, a they walked over to Momo processing the scene. Tzuyu hurriedly prepared for the preliminary coroner's report. 

"What happened here Momo?" Mina asked, staring at the naked, bloody victim's body. 

"Single gash to the throat," Tzuyu said inspecting the body. "The bruising on her wrist and ankles suggest that she's bound. Blunt force trauma to the head, some scarring to her scalp. No defensive wounds, and..." Tzuyu stopped.

"What's the matter?" Jeongyeon asked.

Mina crouched down, to grab a syringe in Tzuyu's kit and jammed it down the victim's arm. "She's been drained of her blood."

"Why would anyone do that?" Momo asked snapping away at the wound and bruises on the body.

"I don't know Momo." Mina shook her head and pulled the syringe out. 

"Jeongyeon, Mina, you have to see this." Tzuyu said gesturing at the victim's ankle. "What is that?" Jeongyeon asked, looking closer.

"I think it’s a V and three I's" Mina said touching the scar.

Mina pursed her lips, "The other had an 'X' on her ankles right?" 

"Yeah." Jeongyeon's eyes transfixed to the scar, when they hear a branch snap.

Mina and Jeongyeon drew their gun, "Who's there?" Their finger ready to pull the trigger, another movement and Jeongyeon gives a chase.

"Momo, don't leave Tzuyu, call for backup. I'll catch up to Jeongyeon." Mina said sprinting after her partner. 

Jeongyeon was panting, her gun holstered, her head on a swivel to see who she was chasing. "What the fuck?" she exclaimed upon seeing the clearing. 

Mina caught up to Jeongyeon the blonde touching the blood soaked ground. A pentagram burned into the earth, Mina's heart quickens, her weapon still holstered, Mina reached for Jeongyeon.  
She turned around gun pointed at Mina, "Woah, woah, it's just me." Mina instinctively put her hands up in the air. 

Jeongyeon lowered her gun, "Get, Tzuyu and Momo. This isn't pretty." She said pulling out her phone to call. When Jeongyeon passed her she saw another body seemingly freshly dumped. 

More officers came to the site, firstly to take the first body back to the lab to await Tzuyu, while she pre-examine the third body. 

"Blunt force trauma to the lateral side of the cranium, and one swift laceration to the throat, again drained, but this is fresh. Rigor mortis hasn't set in fully, I'd say it's has been about 8 hours and.." Tzuyu inspected the girl's ankle. "An I and an X" she looked at Mina. 

"An X, a V and three I's, and now an I and an X." Mina crouched next to the body. "You know what this means?"

Momo shook her head and Tzuyu sighed. "We have more bodies we have to find."

TBC


	3. Brand New Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jeongyeon and Mina meet the person responsible for the murders, a hotel, and someone gets shot

Mina hurried back to the car with Jeongyeon and Momo in tow, Tzuyu already left them to start on the autopsy report for the bodies they recently recovered.

"Woah, woah, what do you mean we have more bodies to find?" Jeongyeon said trying to catch Mina.

"X, IX, VIII? It's clear isn't it.?" Mina said placing her hands on her hips, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, oh Roman numerals!" Momo exclaimed. "The X is ten, IX is nine, and VIII is eight."

"Right," Mina said fishing her phone out of her pocket. "We need to get back, Dahyun found something."

"Welcome back losers, you won't believe what I found out." Dahyun said taking off her earphones.

"Well?" Mina asked her now thinning patience evident in her voice.

"Oh right, sorry" Dahyun said typing away. "Okay, so you know how there wasn't any reports of the girls you found missing? Well I ID'd the other girls and looked back at their social networking sites like one month before we found them."She displayed one of the girl's page. "Here's Riley Kang's, recently posted the day we found her "back packing In Brazil! what a Rush! glad to get Away" That was September, or this one from Cathy Jung "alaska is so cold at this time Of Year! shoulda brought My jacket.brrrr away From every One""

Mina squinted her eyes, when an idea struck her. "It's all about travelling and getting away from their families." She shook her head. "Dahyun, look at the posts about six months ago, and let's have a side by side of the post from last month." Dahyun did as she was told, "Okay, this is last March, "My mom is the best she's a pro cuddler! Love her." and this is from Riley Kang. And this "My boss just gave me two days leave! Time to visit poppop :)" is from our Cathy Jung last July."

"Alright, now put them side by side." Jeongyeon re-instructs. Mina re-reads all of the posts side by side.

"Look at the recent posts. The last letters in every sentence is capitalized, no proper punctuation."

"What do you mean Minari?" Jeongyeon asked.

"She's right, look at these posts before too. Same as the old format she types. Proper capitalization, punctuation, and they look happy staying at home. But now it's like even when they're dead they don't want to be with them. Why keep updating their social networks if they were gonna kill them any ways?" Dahyun asked.

"Because they want to keep them alive even if their dead." Someone said plopping down on a chair.

"Sana-ya" Jeongyeon greeted.

"I'm up to speed Jeongyeonnie, it looks like our perp has a thing for pretty ones." Sana explained.

"I looked at their files and found something a little interesting."

"What do you mean Sana?" Mina asked approaching the chair Sana was sitting at. "

I mean.. Dahyunnie just put this up the screen. All of our girls profile, from all our missing person's report. Alright, so estimate age is around twenty-five up to thirty-five, medium built short shoulder length hair, local university graduate, and single." Sana sighed waving to Dahyun to put all the information she mentioned on the big screen. Dahyun complied, listing all of the parameters that Sana mentioned, they watched the list of missing person narrow from a hundred, to eighty, to forty-eight, to twenty, to just the last eight girls, of the same description.

"Alright, we have our girls here, Christy missing the longest, her sister filed a missing person's report January of this year. No report or follow up what so ever after." Dahyun said, arranging the photos from the oldest to most recent missing girls.

"Okay, so talk to me about our latest girl." Jeongyeon asked her hands on her hips.

"Well she was abducted at a local supermarket, her mom filed a missing person's report when she didn't come home for three days in a row, but the detective that handled the case said in their report that the supermarket footage was too grainy to analyze." Dahyun spun in her chair.

All of them sighed, when Dahyun smiled. "Luckily, I took the liberty to get the footage and enhanced the footage just right now. And now, please meet our abductor friend, Ahn Songjoo, graduated the same university as our missing girls, and most of them a sister in a sorority at their school. I also had the search warrant made up for her last known address and it is within her file. You're welcome." Dahyun said shooting finger guns at Mina and Jeongyeon.

"Great, Mina let's go. Momo, contact all of the relatives of these missing girls, get a statement, we'll take a look on Songjoo."

 

The address to which Songjoo was last spotted living was very easy to find the. A good neighborhood with lots of kids hanging around in their bikes, visiting each other to play.  
Mina took out her phone to re-check the address Dahyun sent them, "This is our house." Mina said ringing the bell at the gate.

"W-who is it?" A woman answered the intercom.

"This is detective Myoui Mina, I'm with detective Yoo Jeongyeon. Miss Ahn, we just have a few questions regarding your sister Songjoo. Mind letting us in?" Mina said shooting nervous looks at Jeongyeon.

"Y-yeah. Please come in." Miss Ahn said as she buzzed them in the door.

Mina and Jeongyeon entered the house, miss Ahn invited them to sit down on the couch.

Miss Ahn sat on the couch opposite to Mina and Jeongyeon with pursed lips. "This is about my sister?"

"Yes, Miss Ahn." Jeongyeon said lacing her fingers together. "We have security footage of your sister carrying out a kidnapping." she said as she laid the printed snaps of the video of Songjoo. "This is her in a car when she dragged out a victim in to her car."

"When have you last seen your sister?" Mina asks.

"Please call me Jiwoon. I haven't seen my sister in two years." Jiwoon says fidgeting with her fingers.

"Tell me something about Songjoo." Mina said leaning forward, her chin on her hands.

Jiwoon smiled, "She was a great sister, we got into fights a lot when our parents died. She was in college that time, she went through a lot when we were kids. She was sexually abused when she was nine. Mom cried so hard because it was our neighbor who did it and well dad.." She paused. "He was very hard on himself."

Mina handed the tissues in front of her.

Jiwoon dabbed her eyes. "She was missing for one year and ten months. We searched and searched for her. Local neighbors, family, and friends. We found her right under our noses. She was abducted by our neighbor, kept her in an underground room."

Mina and Jeongyeon shared a look. "What happened afterwards?"

"When we got her back all she wanted was to see that creep. She was undergoing psychotherapy for all the trauma. At first she really resisted the treatment. Months and months of resist, but one day she got better and it stayed that way. Until three years ago, we got notified that, that son of a bitch got stabbed to death, bastard didn't even get the damn full punishment, the judge should've gone to the death penalty. What that bastard did to my sister is the work of a devil. She snapped again and she was a loopy roller coaster ride for a year. After that she left and that was the last time I saw her." She finishes her eyes swollen and red.

"I'm so sorry that happened." Mina offered.

"I just wish I know where she is. She doesn't have to be alone like this." Jiwoon sniffed.

"We'll do our best to find her. But she's our primary suspect right now. Thank you for your time, we'll keep you updated. Hopefully she turns out." Jeongyeon said as she stood up to shake Jiwoon's hand.

 

Mina and Jeongyeon headed back to their car, "I got a text from Dahyun, all of the relatives Momo talked to said the same thing. Our missing girls got up and left voluntarily. They said something about a friend coming over and saying they're going on a vacation. Aside from the last girl."

Mina stopped in her tracks. "Jeong, we're being watched" She said her head on a suddenly on a swivel, circling once in her spot then another. When she noticed someone in the corner of her eyes by the treeline some distance away from the house, her hand instinctively grabbing her gun, finger standing by to pull the trigger be it a threat to them.

"Show yourself." Mina demanded, cautiously walking to the spot where she saw a figure.

Slowly the figure showed herself. A woman in a red dress, strikingly familiar to Mina.

"D-don't shoot." The woman said, soft yet stern, mellow yet there is a certain air of command.

Mina lowered her gun a little, Jeongyeon doing the still wary if she could become a possible threat to them.

"Raise both your hands where we can see them and walk slowly to us." Mina instructed, sweat dripping down her back, very unnatural of her she mentally noted.

The girl did as she was told, she raised her hands above her head, relaxed but also cautious. Her shoulder length hair swaying a little in the light breeze, a nauseating feeling spreading in Mina's body.

"Mina you okay?" Jeongyeon said tapping her on the shoulder.

"I-Yeah. I am." She said holstering her gun. "Where's the girl?"

"By the car, I told her to wait there, she seemed unarmed." Jeongyeon said nodding to the direction of the girl. "Come on let's go ask her some questions, maybe she knows something."

 

The ride back to HQ was certainly eventful. The silence killing Jeongyeon, Mina on the other hand still reeling from the feeling of vomiting the moment the walked past her and the cold sweat she feels every time she talks.

"So, you have a name girly? You keep asking about us." Jeongyeon glanced at the rear view mirror.

"Jihyo, Park Jihyo." Jihyo said, looking out the window.

Mina decided to chime in, ignoring the new wave of nausea hitting her, the bruises on her thigh feels like it's being pressed. "S-so what are you doing in the tree line?"

"I'm actually following you." Jihyo said, her eyes still trained outside.

Jeongyeon hit the breaks hard. Her eyes trained on Jihyo.

"I mean I saw you guys at the murder house, and police work looked fun. So I followed. Chill, I won't murder you guys." Jihyo smirked.

"T-that's why you kinda look familiar." Mina interrupted, still trying to calm her nerves for some reason were more shaky than ever.

Jihyo's jaw dropped for a split second, but she resumed staring out the window. "Really now detective?" Jihyo said low enough for only Mina to catch.

Mina gulped, luckily she was saved by the familiar building of their HQ in sight.

"Welp, this is where we take off Miss Park." Jeongyeon said parking near the curb.

"Thank you detectives." Jihyo grinned. "See you around." She said so curtly that Mina's stomach spun again, as she turned around to leave. "Oh, and Detective Myoui, get something for that stomach ache, you look gastly. Goodbye." she turned again her heels clicking on the pavement as she walks away.

  
Mina and Jeongyeon looked at each other, they glanced back to watch Jihyo leave safely but she was already no longer in sight.

 

By the time they got up to the cyber floor Mina's nerves had already calmed down, her cold sweats gone and the heavy nauseating feeling vanishing with the wind.

"You look better." Jeongyeon smiled walking into the cyber room. "Alright where are we at?" She said to Dahyun who was busy talking to Sana.

"Well Jeongyeonnie we interviewed all the relatives like you asked, and nothing stood up apart from everyone saying that most of our missing girls were picked up by a friend." Sana said getting up from Dahyun's desk.

"But," Dahyun interrupted. "We asked most of the relatives to describe this friend to our sketch artist, and we got mostly same results of our kidnapping perp Songjoo."

"Also we got a call about a possible tip on where Songjoo is, someone sent us a footage of her in an elevator of some hotel uptown. I called up the hotel to confirm, if there is someone called Ahn Songjoo checked-in the hotel and fortunately for us," Dahyun smiled. "She checked in under Ahn Songjoo. She's at room eight-two-seven, do you want back up?"

"Thank you Dahyun." Mina said, dragging Jeongyeon and Mom to the other room. "Let' set up eyes at the hotel, Sana, Jeong, Momo, briefing room."

 

They arrived at the hotel and proceeded to sweep the perimeter of the floor.

"Momo, go with Jeong. You have the ground floor up to fifth floor door duty. I'll cover the upper floors." She placed her wrist next to her lips. "Dahyun you got eyes on all floors?"

"I got you girls. I have every corridor on cam, if she moves we have her." Dahyu voice coming from their earpiece.

"Great, we have the perimeter covered." Mina said. "Keep comms on and let's just find her and bring her in."

The search for Songjoo was on, Momo and Jeongyeon searched the lobby first, then it's door duty for them.

By the time they arrived at the third floor, Jeongyeon bumped into someone familiar. "Miss Park Jihyo?"

 

Mina searched the floors pretty quickly, a bunch of college sorority girls occupying the rooms on one floor, something about a slumber party. Proceeding to the next floors, Mina caught a glimpse of Songjoo going to the elevator, she darted for her but she lost her when the doors closed going up the floors.

 

"Hello detectives." Jihyo greeted, her red dress seemingly redder than the last time Jeongyeon saw her. "What brings you to my hotel?"

Jeongyeon blinked rapidly. "Your hotel?"

"Yes, welcome to Le Chateu Annie." Jihyo said, her arm welcoming them to the floor. "Are you looking for someone detectives?"

"I-uh. Yes." Momo answered. "We're actually looking for this person." She said showing the still from the video in the security footage.

"Ahh, I actually bumped into her earlier by the pool lounge." Jihyo said looking at Jeongyeon and walking away.

"Thank you Miss Park. We'll make sure to look for her there." Jeongyeon thanks her, making their way up another level.

 

Mina continued her pursuit via the stairs, exiting at the top floor where the elevator stopped. She peeked from the door, the pool lounge almost empty, what caught Mina's eyes was the only girl .

Mina approached Songjoo, "Miss Ahn Songjoo, detective Myoui Mina. Can I invite you to sit down?"

Songjoo nodded and Mina guided her to a more secluded area of the lounge.

"Miss Ahn, I'd like to talk about this." Mina laid her phone with the surveillance video on play.

Songjoo's eyes were teary, "I was only trying to protect them. I was only trying to save them from them, from him." her tears now flowing freely.

"I understand what you have been through Miss Ahn, your sister mentioned--"

"Ah, she said it to you guys. Do you know that it was ten of us, but I was his favorite to rape, to punish, to praise. Do you know how being raped repeatedly detective?" Songjoo asked her voice cracking. "It did a lot of things to my brain. No good things."

"I have you in sight, nod twice if you need Jeong and Momo." Dahyun's voice came ringing in her ear.

Mina nodded once, looking for the security cam.

"He said I'm his flower. His most special flower, that's why he did what he did. He wanted more flowers. One day he had another flower, more special than me, special than all of us." Songjoo said the agony and envy dripping in her voice, her eyes glassy and dripping.

"Songjoo." Mina waved her hand in front of her. "Miss Ahn." She called out to her again.

"I just wanted to be his only flower. I was his favorite. Why are you here? You want to be his too? You want to be a flower? You'll have to go through me." Songjoo rambled.

"Miss Ahn, are you okay?" Mina's hand in front of her, the other ready to grab her gun.

"You want to be one of them too, don't you?" Her eyes black and wild. "You just want to be with him, well I'm not letting you!" She pulled out a gun aiming it at Mina.

Dahyun's voice came barreling through the earpiece and Jeongyeon's ears would never be the same. "You have to get up on the roof ASAP. She found Songjoo, and it's not gonna turn out good."

"Copy that, get me EMTs I suddenly have a bad feeling about this." Jeongyeon said, putting down her hand, gesturing to Momo to the elevator.  
_ELEVATOR UNAVAILABLE_ the sign read, "Damn it. looks like we have to take the stairs. Come on Momo."

 

Songjoo's gun still aimed at Mina, she still rambled about her being a flower. "Everyone wanted to be his flower. Every one wanted to be number one, well he won't because that's me. I'm number one, one and only."

Mina grabbed her gun, "Songjoo, put the gun down, let's just talk, please put the gun down."

She tried and tried to get Songjoo to drop the gun, she tried to reason, she tried to plead, but she just rambled about how the other girls wanted to be his flower too.

"All of you wanted to be his flower. Everyone person I met was after him, you wanted him all to yourself, don't you. Don't you!" she pointed her gun at Mina again.

Mina raised her gun again, when she suddenly had that dizzy spell again, the nauseating feeling she felt earlier, her ears ringing.

"What the fuck is happening?" Her vision blurring and all she heard is two pops and the warmth spread to her stomach.

 

Red, all Mina can see is red, the warmth spreading around her her ears still ringing, her eyes rolling almost to the back of her head. "Park Jihyo?" Mina said, her breath getting shorter and shorter.

"Detective Myoui, the paramedics are on their way, and your friends are already at the door." Jihyo said as she kneel next to Mina's body. "You're losing to much blood too quickly," Jihyo ripped the sleeves of her dress. "Apply pressure here, I would only need a minute." She said striding to where Songjoo was.

Mina hears the distant wail of the sirens, her vision slowly turning to black.

"Mina! Mina!" Momo and Jeongyeons voices melting together. "Momo get the paramedics up here! Hurry." Jeongyeon barks, holstering her gun.

"Hey, hey. Stay with me." Jeongyeon said cradling Mina's head on her lap. "Momo got the paramedics, just a little more."

Three more pops rung, and a scream.

Jeongyeon winced, a bullet grazed her shoulder. "I'm fine. Just hang on Mina. Stay with me!"

 

"Oh, sweetheart." Jihyo said getting into Songjoo's face. Jihyo's brown eyes boring into Songjoo's wild ones.

"I killed them! I slit their throats he wanted more flowers. HE WANTED MORE FLOWERS! I just gave him what he wanted, he told me he wanted more flowers and I gave them to him, each one of them, the one that I shot in the face because she said she didn't want to be his flower! They all say that but they all want to, so I slit their throats. But I was the only one. I'm the only one, I'm his number one flower." Songjoo babbled.

Jihyo's eyes are now blood shot, still staring at Songjoo, the air turned hot, her eyes now all black. "I know what you did sweetie." Jihyo's voice sounded metallic, half her face contorting her skin glowing  
red hot and turning into scales, teeth sharpening like shark teeth, a curled horn growing on the right side of her head, a wicked grin almost splitting her face.

Mina's pretty sure it's not the blood loss that's causing the ringing in ears. The faint rambling of Songjoo buzzing in her ears, her eyes rolling back to her head, until they heard someone scream.  
She tilted her head, Jihyo clearly in her view. It' happened so fast, one blink and she's still in her red dress, another blink and she has a ram's horn, and one hand on Songjoo's throat.

Songjoo raised her gun to Jihyo's chest and emptied the clip, Jihyo turned to face Mina and smiled.

The next thing Mina saw was all black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your patience, I hope I did this some justice by being long-ish. Anyways, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Hope to see you in the comments, also let's be friends on twitter! Follow me at @softlesbiansnek 
> 
> I promise I don't bite :)


	4. Wake Me Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mina = coma, more people gets involved, knitting needles, and bonding over jokbal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry for making you wait, I had to make this chapter worth your while because I'll be starting work soon, but don't worry because I'd still try to pull through with the fortnightly updates as much as possible unless I say so. Thank you to all of those who read this and are saying good things about it. It really makes me want to write more. :) I hope you enjoy this chapter! See you all in two weeks <3 
> 
> Special thanks to my donsaeng Lienhart <3 you know all the things that goes on in this fic, thank you!

The paramedics couldn't have picked a better time to bust in, with Jeongyeon's bleeding shoulder and Mina's unconsciousness the race against the clock had already begun long before. 

"Take her, take her. Make sure she's going to be alright." Jeongyeon said her hands and voice trembling, taking them away in separate gurneys to their respective ambulances. 

Momo interviewed Jihyo, being the only witness to the shooting. 

"So how come you were here before us? The elevator was broken and we didn't exactly see you by the stairs." Momo said her pen scribbling away on her notepad. 

"Well detective, we have two emergency exits here at my hotel, and a service elevator. I was informed by my security team when they saw the woman pull out a gun so I rushed to the service elevator after I have already left you detectives." Jihyo said calmly as if there wasn't an attempted homicide happen at her hotel.

Momo took note of that, but before she could ask some more she noticed the blood stain on Jihyo's dress. "Why are you all bloody?" 

Jihyo looked down on her dress and rolled her eyes. "It must've been from when I stood too close to Detective Yoo. Don't worry about it detective, I'm alright." She smiled. 

Momo still jotted down on her notepad, taking in the accounts as to Jihyo saw the shooting happen. 

"....I was actually late, I heard two gun shots as I opened the door. The shooter was simply too preoccupied to have noticed me entering. I walked over to Detective Myoui and gave her the sleeves of my dress to keep on her wound because she was bleeding out too fast." Jihyo recounted. 

Momo closed her notebook and thanked Jihyo for the interview, "Thank you Miss Park, we'll have to cordon off the lounge and pool area for the time being. After we process the crime scene we'll eventually clear everything and we'll have someone check up with you for the security footage you mentioned. Thank you." She smiled and left to process the scene. 

Jihyo looked back at her lounge and pool, Mina's blood pool still wet, it's metallic scent drifting to her senses. Mina's hooded eyes trained directly at her seeing her horns and all. 

She shook off the look on Mina's face during the moments she saw her in her half state focusing on the detectives running about her floor to process the crime scene, she knows what she needs to be done.

As soon as the ambulance came to a halt and Mina was transferred to an operating room, the doctors wasted no time, an intravenous line hooked up to Mina's right arm for blood, while fluids were hooked up on her left, and tube going down her throat to provide her air. 

Mina's shoulder wound was sutured closing both ends of the holes, she'll be sling buddies with Jeongyeon for weeks. Once the doctors were able to close her up there they opened a section of her abdomen, the second bullet lodging itself inside her, luckily for Mina it didn't hit anything major or shatter inside her. A miracle nonetheless. 

She made it out of surgery with no hitch, her vitals looked good, she was stable. Heavily sedated, Mina was then transferred to the intensive care unit where a guard was posted on her door. 

_ Eight days later.... _

Jeongyeon was glad to have her wound patched up, the sling sucks and she needs to take at least two weeks off to heal before she got back to the force, she worried about Mina a lot in her down time, when they both got off the table they were fine. But twelve hours post-op Mina's vitals were all over the place, and she was seizing despite the heavy influence of the sedative, her muscles kept twitching and often times Jeongyeon would notice a brand new bruise. 

Of course she asked the doctor about it the moment she was allowed to visit, but after a few careful checks, there wasn't any internal bleed, or anything for that matter. The doctor gave Mina some intravenous blood thinners hoping that the bruises will go away. And they did, but they kept coming back. 

Jeongyeon stayed all day and night sometimes, if Momo, Sana and Dahyun, or Tzuyu and Chae were to busy, or if they don't protest that Jeongyeon go home and sleep, she was shot too and she was supposed to be recovering. At least that's what everyone says. 

So when the third day Jeongyeon was visiting she was surprised to see Jihyo by Mina's bed side. 

"Mina, look I got you flowers, you hate them but you still think they're--" Her sentence was cut off by the sudden sight of Jihyo. "I-- Hello Ms. Park."

"Hello, detective." Jihyo nodded curtly. 

"What brings you here?" Jeongyeon inquired, placing the flowers inside the vase by Mina's bedside table. 

"Detective Hirai came by the hotel and mentioned that Detective Myoui was having a hard time to recover. So I thought I drop by and see her, as well as give you this." Jihyo handed over a flash drive. "That contains security footage of the day Songjoo has checked in to the hotel up until the time of the shooting." 

"Thank you, I'll personally see to it that Dahyun gets this." Jeongyeon nodded. 

"So how is she?" Jihyo asked. "Detective Hirai told me of seizures and bruises?" 

Jeongyeon explained everything, from the seizures to the fluke bruises, and Mina crashing that one time all of them was there. 

Mina could definitely feel her abdomen hurt, but her eyes were too heavy to open them, she traced her hand to where the pain was coming from and she doubled back in pain. 

The pain spread from her abdomen to her shoulders, to her head, searing pain coursed through her as she tried to open her eyes, but she couldn't she could see light behind her eyelids, a burning light so bright. She still tried to open her eyes, when a shrill shriek came from no where, the sounds of gun shots and suddenly her eyes are open just a crack. Fire, red hot fire on her skin, her pitch black eyes staring right at Mina. She couldn't move, her stomach still exploding in pain. Jihyo she thought, and everything was black again. 

Mina's monitors were flashing again, her heartbeat slowly decreasing, the monitor beeped. 

Jeongyeon ran to get the doctor while Jihyo stayed to guard Mina. 

Jihyo can hear Jeongyeon frantically shouting to get someone in Mina's room, Jihyo placed a hand on Mina's forehead, a fever tearing through her, as her bandages get soaked in blood due to her body writhing, she placed her hand over the wound. 

Jihyo noticed Mina's eyes open, wide and looking at her directly. She tried to call her but to no avail. Her eyes shut again before the doctor came in with the crash cart. 

Finally they got Mina to stabilize again, her bandage soaked in blood her stitches opened again.

Jeongyeon sighed, she hoped Mina would finally be stable once and for all. She worried about her a lot. 

"Detective Yoo. Get some rest, I can watch her for you." Jihyo said, settling down on the chair next to Mina's bed. 

Jeongyeon didn't have the heart to agree, but seeing how Jihyo handled the situation earlier when Mina was crashing, she felt weirdly at ease with leaving Mina in her care. 

"Alright, I'll inform Momo, because she said she'd drop by later." Jeongyeon said. 

They spent a lot of talking, about Mina, how they met and the cases they solved and before and just like that it has been an hour that they've been talking. 

"I have to go, Jihyo are you sure you'll be okay watching Mina until Momo gets here?" Jeongyeon asked yet again. 

"Yes detective, I'm okay, I brought some knitting materials and some pocket books." Jihyo said settling down grabbing her knitting supplies. 

Jeongyeon shouldered her bag and waved Jihyo goodbye. 

As soon as the door closed Jihyo stood up and locked the door and closed the curtains. Looking around to make sure no one is around. 

Jihyo took out the pocket knife in her pocket, slicing her palm and drawing a pentagram on the floor, her lips moving but no sound coming out at all, when she opened her eyes it was black, her lips were still moving the chanting getting louder and louder. 

When she was done another person was in the room. 

Jihyo smiled, "Hello Soeon, or should I say, Astarte." 

"How did you know it was me your grace?" Soeon asked, her feet dangerously close to the edge of the circle. 

"Careful, you know what'll happen if you go beyond the line miss." Jihyo warned, grabbing her knitting needles and thread. "But to answer your question: it was the bruising. You always had a thing for blood, I guess that comes into territory when you hang around with blood guzzlers, and you're the only one that does that." She rolled her eyes. 

Soeon laughed, "You know me too well Jihyo. Tell me does your father know you're here?"

That struck a nerve, Jihyo glared at her but with her eyes all blacked out it was hard to tell if it really was a glare. 

"I would have you know that he does know I am here and it is my choice to have come here." She sternly replied. 

"Your sister then." Soeon said smirking. 

Jihyo flew from her chair to the edge of the pentagram, her knitting needle at Soeon's throat. "Leave her out of this, and don't you dare or I will cut you and your vessel limb from limb. Here and in hell." 

Soeon tried to avert Jihyo's eyes. "Calm down, I'm just messing with you. But I'd be fun to have your sister around." Soeon grinned. 

Jihyo pushed the needle to Soeon's throat nicking the skin and drawing blood. "What do you need her for?" Jihyo gestured to Mina. 

Soeon rolled her eyes. "Kinda an easy thing isn't it... I need a new vessel"

Jihyo chuckled. "What for? You're band of blood chuggers need a juice box?" 

Soeon backed to the wall. "We need someone from the inside your ." 

Jihyo retracted the needle. "Inside?"

"The police, Jihyo. You think I don't know about Songjoo, she was our brightest star yet." Soeon wiped the blood trickling down her neck. 

Jihyo wiped the blood on her dress, "Care to explain how was she your brightest star, before I dismember you in hell so a won't have to deal with you here because we both know that I can end you."

Soeon laughed. "Your grace, we don't want to endanger these poor souls here do we? Your dad would be proud but i don't know about our big sis, now I just need this little one weak enough so I can get Ixuh inside her, after that I'll be out of your hair.

Something in Jihyo snapped, her body started shaking and her skin glowing, "Do not touch her, I swear to my dad that if you don't release her from your bind." Her voice sounded layered and deep, she grabbed Soeon's throat painfully crushing it. "She's mine, she's my vessel, and if you continue to mess with her, I'll have to place some calls down below and you won't even live to see another sunrise much less the fires of hell."

Jihyo released her tight hold on Soeon's throat, her face returning to a normal one of a human's, the other heaving to catch her breath, clutching her throat.

"Now tell me what you know about what you know about Ahn Songjoo and make it quick." Jihyo said. 

Soeon sat on the floor and sighed. "She started with us a year ago. She was a tough cookie, she used a ouija board to contact a Ka Dongmin, I was visiting through hell, then I heard her and I came through. She was fun, she provided a lot of blood for my people and a lot of souls for me. You know a little cat-fishing like the people say to day. So we got her, but she got sloppy and I saw her long before and realized that we need someone on the inside. So what now?" 

"Thank you, well then now I have to kill you." Jihyo said getting ready to strike. 

"Wait, wait!" Soeon yelled. "A deal! A deal! Let me make you a deal." 

Jihyo stopped, retracting the knitting needles dangerously close to Soeon's chest. "A deal? With the duchess of hell, keep talking and you might just die right here and there is no going back." 

"A vessel for a vessel." Soeon said. 

Jihyo laughed. "I ought to kill you right now, how about I don't kill you and you leave my vessel alone. How about that hmm?"

"Look I know you don't trust me to leave her alone. So, a vessel for a vessel. That is my offer." Soeon said crossing her arms.

Jihyo nodded. "You're absolutely right, I do not trust you enough to leave my vessel alone. So.." she paused and struck Soeon. "I'm really not sorry, I'll see you in hell though." She smiled sweetly as Soeon's eyes rolled to the back of her head while Jihyo mutters something watching the body before her burn and disintegrate.

Jihyo smiled again wiping the needles off the hem of her red dress. "Don't worry detective you won't be bothered by that leech again." She said making her way to the chair by Mina's bedside. "Now, how about a cute sweater for you, hmm?" 

 

Jihyo was already half way to knitting Mina a sweater when the door opened with Momo carrying a full grocery bag of food and drinks. 

"Oh, Jeongyeon mentioned that you'd be here." Momo smiled. "I brought some food and drinks. I don't know what you liked so I just got us some jokbal and some ramyun." She said setting down the bag by the table.

"Thank you detective." Jihyo smiled putting down her needles and thread. 

"You knit?" Momo asked.

"Yes, I find it relaxing. Running a hotel isn't exactly what I was trained in." Jihyo said.

"Mina knits too. She made us each a scarf for Christmas last year, all in our favorite colors. Dahyun our tech person got three scarves because she has three favorite colors." Momo said pouring drinks for both of them. "So, is she any better? Any attacks while you were alone?" 

Jihyo shook her head. "She just slept while I told her about the hotel and other stuff. It was quite uneventful." 

"Other than the fact that I found who ever was trying to posses her and killed them." Jihyo thought. 

"Well that's good. I hope it's the road to getting her off the sedatives and have her recover awake. I miss Mina." Momo said offering Jihyo a drink. 

 

Mina felt relieved, the pain in her stomach instantly vanishing after suffering for a few horrible hours in her opinion but she's glad that the pain has passed. She still can't open her eyes but she could've sworn she heard people talking.

She immediately recognized Jeongyeon's voice talking to someone. She listened intently to what she heard was Jeongyeon and the woman talking about the cases her and Jeongyeon worked on together, but then it was time she learned that Jihyo the person that followed them out to their investigation and showed up at the shooting to try and save her. 

She heard the door close and it was quiet again. 

The next time she heard someone talking was Jihyo talking to someone, on the phone she guessed, but it sounded weird because it felt like the person was in the room with them. 

_"Wait, wait!" the woman yelled. "A deal! A deal! Let me make you a deal."_

_"A deal? With the duchess of hell, keep talking and you might just die right here and there is no going back." Jihyo replied._

_"A vessel for a vessel." She said._

_Jihyo laughed. "I ought to kill you right now, how about I don't kill you and you leave my vessel alone. How about that hmm?"_

And that was the last thing she heard as she felt her senses mute the outside world. 

The following three days was peaceful for all of them; Sana, Momo, Dahyun, Jeongyeon, Tzuyu and Chaeyoung took turns with watching and keeping Mina company at the hospital and getting work done when they're at the station, building a case for the district attorney's office against Ahn Songjoo, and Jihyo visited when she can, sending new flowers and tons of food for Momo when she can't. 

Jihyo worked together with Jeongyeon and Momo, even though technically Jengyeon should still be on medical leave so the case building fell onto Momo's shoulders, but Jeongyeon refused to sit back and just watch Songjoo be free. 

"Hey Momo. New package from Jihyo." Jeongyeon said entering the door to Mina's room. "She explicitly mentioned to share to us what ever is in this gift basket." She said pointing at the note that has a big word  _ **SHARE**_ on the note. 

"Okay fine, but if Mitang wakes up she gets all your shares." Momo pouted. 

"I'm onboard with that." Jeongyeon smiled walking towards Mina's side to look at her. "No changes?" 

Momo shook her head and sighed. "I told her if she wakes up now I'll buy her the game she wants on her console. Good news is the bruises are gone forever. Jihyo told me that the other day and I'm just glad."

Jeongyeon stroked Momo's head with her left, while she held Mina's hand in her right. "She'll wake up soon Momo. Mina is a tough cookie, two bullets just slowed her down. But she'll always come back to us."

Momo nodded and wiped the forming tears in the corner of her eyes. 

Jeongyeon looking at her hand suddenly because she felt Mina squeezing her hand, her eyes still slightly hooded, but she's awake.

"Momo! Get the doctor!" Jeongyeon shouted and Momo scrambled to her feet and out the door.

 

The doctor removed the endotracheal tube down Mina's throat and she was back to breathing normally. 

"You shouldn't talk for a while, you've had the tube down there for almost two weeks and there could be severe sore throat, chest pain, difficulty in swallowing, and neck pain. So take it easy, you might get by with a pen and paper." The doctor said, looking directly at Mina and glancing at Jeongyeon. 

Momo accompanied the doctor out the door and said that she'll tell the others. 

Jeongyeon sat by Mina's bed relief palpable on her face. "Thank God you're now awake." Her eyes teary rubbing Mina's knuckles. "Momo promised to share whatever Jihyo sent us and well it's now just for you. Mina we missed you."

Mina's eyes went wide at the mention of Jihyo and Jeongyeon smiled. "Weird but we're sort of friends now. Especially her and Momo, I think they bonded over jokbal."

Momo opened the door, "I know Mina should be resting right now. But some people wants to see her." 

Sana, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, Tzuyu poured in. Carrying stems of flowers for Mina. Their cheers brought a smile to Mina's face. 

A knock came through the door and a head popped out. "Do you still have room for one?" 

"Jihyo come on in!" Momo gestured.

Mina's eyes are the size of saucers, squeezing Jeongyeon's hand hard, mouthing something to Jeongyeon.

"So how is our detective?" Jihyo asked, a wide smile spreading across her face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you think about this chapter in the comments below! Or at https://curiouscat.me/softlesbiansnek


	5. Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mina is finally awake, Jihyo's sister is in town, Chateau Annie at its finest, and a surprise visit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to whoever is reading this story. I hope this update gives you lifeeeeee and hopefully I gave it some justice. Please dont kill me over the format. Im still sleep deprived.

"Woah. Hand, hand." Jeongyeon said prying her hand away from Mina's death grip. "What's up?" She asked Mina.

Mina tried to speak but no words came out. "Ugh, why do I have to get to not talk now when I want to?" Mina thought.

Jeongyeon searched Mina's eyes, "Do you wanna maybe say something?" Jeongyeon finally asked. And Mina nodded hard.

Jeongyeon got her pen and paper and gave it to Mina.

Scribbling away Jeongyeon watched as Jihyo suddenly got awkward around Mina, so she went over to ask if there was something wrong.

"Hey Jihyo." Jeongyeon said. "You look kinda glum since you got here, is there something wrong?"

Jihyo smiled. "Oh, hey. It's nothing I might just be over thinking. Go tend to Mina she needs you." She said moving away to talk to Momo.

Jeongyeon walked back over to Mina who was busy scribbling her way on the note pad. Several strewn over the side of the bed.

"Why are you littering? I can have you arrested for that you know." She joked trying to lighten Mina's obviously peevish mood.

Mina glared at Jeongyeon handing over the notepad that read : "Get everyone out of here. I need to tell you something in private it's urgent."

 

Jeongyeon got everybody out of the room with the pretense that they need more food and drinks because Momo and Dahyun munched on the gift basket Jihyo sent over.

"Okay I have all of them out. What's going on" Jeongyeon asked.

Mina scribbled again, and handed it over to Jeongyeon. "I don't trust Jihyo." Jeongyeon reads.

"Why not?" Jeongyeon asked, handing over the notepad to Mina again, and Mina scribbled on immediately and gave it to Jeongyeon.

"I heard her talk to someone about vessels and hell. Think she's part of a drug ring. Something about being a duchess." Jeongyeon read, her eyebrow raised after finishing. "Mina how did you even hear her? You were out cold from the sedative. Look Mina, not that I don believe you or anything."  Jeongyeon paused . "It's fine if you suspect Jihyo or something, if it makes you feel any better I'll run a background check on her." Jeongyeon said as she ran her hand through her hair.

Mina slumped back on her bed, her hair disheveled mouthed "I hate you." To Jeongyeon.

Jeongyeon rolled her eyes and sat down on the chair next to Mina's bed side. "You know Mina, Jihyo was here everyday for three days. She stayed with you so we could go ahead with work, and it worked a lot of the time. One time I came back to her just knitting and telling you a story about her sister.”

Mina huffed and crossed her arms.

"Don't give me that look, it's true. Once I came in to her singing to you, she blushed so hard when she saw me by the door. and if you don't believe that then maybe you'd believe this." Jeongyeon digging into her bag pulling out a purple sweater just the right size for Mina. "She made this for you while you were in a coma."

Mina inspected the sweater, she was touched by the gesture but she still can't shake the feeling that Jihyo is bad news.

"I washed it since Momo spilled ketchup on it the last time it was here, and as much as you love ketchup you won't love it on your sweater." Jeongyeon said.

  
 

The supermarket was super packed even for a weekday, and the group was looking around "What do you think we should get Mina?" Momo asked, the girls randomly grabbing different random items and asking each other if they could buy it for Mina.

"Hmmm what if some tomato soup since she loves ketchup and it'll make her throat feel better." Sana said holding a can of instant tomato soup.

The others nodded. "Keeping her warm and some warm food can help speed up her healing." Dahyun said.

So all of them decided to get some bread and the can of tomato soup, the thermos might help boil the soup and make them some dinner too.

Jihyo tapped Momo's shoulder, "Mina loves ketchup?"

Momo nodded. "Yeah, she love the Heinz ones the most, oh and us too. She loves us."

The cashier rang up the items and they were back to heading to the hotel.

The late afternoon sun was warm and Jihyo got to thinking, but her thoughts were disturbed by Sana linking her arms in hers.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Sana cheerfully said, her eyes directly looking at Jihyo, slowing down in her pace to let the others go first. "And don't say nothing because I know it's not nothing. I saw how you looked when Mina kicked us out."

Jihyo sighed, might as well tell Sana she doesn't know Jihyo that much.

"Do you think Mina doesn't like me?" Jihyo asked.

Sana shook her head. "She's always like that with new people. Especially since she hasn't been around you that much and we have. Just give Mina some time. She'll warm up to you Jihyo-ya."

Jihyo nodded, shoving her hands in her coat pocket but Sana didn't let go of her arm. Her mind just going back to the day when she first visited Mina in the hospital and Jihyo saw how pale and fragile Mina looked. How the bruises on her arms and thighs would be prominent one time and appear and vanish after a few hours or minutes most of the time appearing in the shape of a bite mark, and Jihyo knew what exactly was going on and what was causing the crashes and the bruising when she asked Jeongyeon how long has that been happening. remembering that before that when Mina crashed her eyes were wide but empty, as if she was seeing Jihyo for what she really was.

  
 

The news were already floating through heaven. The sister of a second generation arch angel and was now the empress of hell, or duchess. It was all the same to the angels.

"A thousand years your sister has been giving us headaches, demons killing demons and more demon infestation on Earth, as if we don't get enough hits around here. An angel complained.

Her ears rang of anger but she must remain composed, she still needed to make her listen to her and showing her 'horns' wouldn't motivation for them. "You're right, and right now she's giving me another century's worth of headache. And I also want fixed. But we cannot march through hell and demand that they make her come back." She shrugged,her wings ruffling as she does so. "Besides, I heard it was her decision to go and stay on Earth. From the intel we got from our soldiers over the years up to the recent is that to get rid of some rogue reapers and unleashed demons, but we still have to so something about her."

"Olympiae, she is your sister. You need to do something about this. From now on she is your responsibility." Another angel said. "You need to make her go back to hell and continue her work there, she is greatly upsetting the balance of the human world, and Daughter of the Fallen or not she must obey heaven.

Olympiae laughed. "You seemed to have forgotten that heaven doesn't rule over hell, we could get to convince her father to get her to come back, but I need a way to hell."

The other angels spread their wings, "No angel will go to hell! You are to be considered a fallen once you have entered that wretched land." One sneered.

"Whatever, you were the ones that wanted to bring Ioathae back to hell." Olympiae said.

"She is no longer an angel of heaven, that name died the day she fell from heaven. We will never speak of her name anymore!" The angel shouted.

Olympiae shrugged. "Your call, Feotae. She's your sister too."

"Do not test us Olympiae. You are to go down to Earth to look for your sister and bring her back to hell and convince her to stay there." And with that the angels have left the empty throne room.

 

"Father why did you gave me this sisters? They act like Ioathae isn't their blood too." Olympiae said shaking her head in frustration. She made her journey to the gates of heaven taking one last look before her descent to Earth.

 

Olympiae dropped down on earth, completely invisible to the human eye, she knows she needs a vessel and she needs one fast.

  
 

The elevator to Mina's room was so crowded, Jihyo was squished to the back of the metal box. With Tzuyu stepping on her foot and someone farting so loud in an enclosed that by the doors dinged open Jihyo was so relieved to arrive on Mina's floor.

The sight in Mina's room was truly to behold, Mina hitting Jeongyeon with the sweater Jihyo made for Mina.

"What's going on here?" Dahyun asked. "You're hitting Jeongyeon and I wasn't invited? I am very offended, Mina-ri." Dahyun's voice laced with feign hurt.

Mina rolled her eyes. "She's just being extra annoying because she knows I'm right." Jeongyeon said ruffling Mina's hair.

"Right about what" Sana interjected as she set up the thermos to heat the canned tomato soup. "Spill it Jeongyeonnie or no soup and food for you."

 

"It's nothing Sana-ya. Mina just needs to play. Isn't that right Mina-ri?" Another slap on Jeongyeon's arm. "I'm warning you Myoui, one false move I'll have you arrested for assaulting an officer." Jeongyeon joked, earning a another slap on her arm.

 

They all laughed and and exchanged stories, but Jihyo mostly kept to herself until Jeongyeon stood beside her. "Hey, sorry about Mina getting weird the minute Mina woke up. She just doesn't sit well with new people, especially since all of us have gotten to know you while she was a coma." Jeongyeon explained.

 

"So I was told." Jihyo smiled. "It's okay Jeongyeon, really. I'm just glad that Mina is feeling better." Rubbing Jeongyeon's arm. "I've got to run I just got a message from the hotel and I need to be there. I hope Mina feels better soon, tell her she can have all the soup she wants at the hotel." Jihyo said getting to leave.

 

"Well why don't you tell her yourself." Jeongyeon said. "Hey Mina-ri, Jihyo wants to say something to you."

 

Mina's attention was pryed away from Chaeyoung who was animatedly talking to her.

 

Jihyo was quiet for a while and Mina had raised an eyebrow.

 

Jihyo sighed, "I hope you get well soon Mina-ssi. You have unlimited soup waiting for you at the hotel. Good to see you all again. Detectives." And with that Jihyo left.

  
 

Olympiae's search for Ioathae took her to the city, her white robe just swaying in the wind while she walks. She needs a vessel to find Ioathae, a human vessel to see and get to ask humans, well she can't really go on about Ioathae, one because humans don't know that angels or demons exist, they have but just the mere construct of it and not all of it, they know of the first generation of angels and well now they're a lot of them. Olympiae being one of the second generation of angels, well archangels to be specific.

 

Olympiae kept going around the town, searching for special souls and bodies that could potentially be her vessel. Then Olympiae stopped by a store, a woman standing by a huge set of doors. Olympiae floated towards her, standing in front of her.

The woman can't still see her, Olympiae thought something was peculiar of this woman, so she decided to see who she was and get to know her.

 

Her soul is warm, a devout servant of the Father, she has been through trials but her spirit was never broken. Olympiae smiled, this woman might be just the right vessel for her, she decided to delve further into her thoughts and memories, seeing that this could be Olympiae's possible vessel.

 

The woman is named Im Nayeon, she's a singer by profession, her parents left her at an early age and bounced around from home to home. She grew up mostly in Catholic homes.

 

She was in a car accident when she was twenty-three, losing mobility in half of her body, but that what she was more devastated about is about her foster mom that took care of her since she was ten was part of that accident and was killed in the crash. That almost broke Nayeon's spirit, but it didn't. She prayed harder, she strengthened her faith and clung on to the Father even more and thus making a full recovery, the Father does grant prayers for those who pray and believe hard enough.

 

Olympiae was astounded as she touched her soul, she deemed Nayeon as a great vessel for her, so she settled and opened her eyes. Olympiae looked at her hands, and her face at the reflection of the glass door, conveniently for her, Nayeon doesn't have family, and she could use her to send messages up to her sisters in a a prayer, from now on Olympiae is Im Nayeon.

 

Nayeon thought of every possible places demons might be infesting, from the intelligence heaven gathered demons loves hanging out in cesspool and dark places, but what Nayeon didn't know was that demon has highly adapted into a 'normal' life, but their demonic powers are still eminent, and Nayeon can still sense their energy that's different from a human's.

 

Nayeon's wandering led her to the heart of town of Chateau Annie towering from a distance. Something tugged at Nayeon to go to the hotel, like gravity on Earth.

 

The entrance of the hotel is magnificent, even by angel standards, from the ornate chandelier dangling from the ceiling that reminded Nayeon of the Father's throne room. Nayeon approached the first person she could find and the person behind the desk was accommodating as ever.

 

"Hello there, and welcome to Chateau Annie. It's a pleasure to be of service, how can I help you today?" The lady behind the counter said.

 

Nayeon smiled, "Oh, I'm just looking around, say you don't know any Ioathae, by any chance do you?"

 

The woman shrugged, and tapped away on her keyboard, "We don't have that name checked in. But we have the Ioathae room available if you want to check in. Would that interest you?"

 

'Interesting' Nayeon thought. "Thank you for mentioning that, have a good day." And with that Nayeon left the building.  

 

Nayeon's senses were immediately heightened, the hairs on her arms stood as she felt the strong demonic power near her. She looked around but it vanished as soon as she noticed it. Nayeon did another one-eighty the energy no longer there.

  
 

Mina settled into the pillows, her hand stroking the sweater knitted by Jihyo, a woman who Mina feels so conflicted with as the moment. At one point she knows in herself that she could've been hallucinating the whole ordeal but to say that meant she had to disagree with what her gut feel, and right now her gut is telling her to not trust Jihyo.

 

Mina ran her hand over the purple sweater once more, feeling the tactile aspect of the fabric, the ins and outs of the thread across the sweater, tightly and carefully knitted to perfection. Mina was astounded, Jihyo's hands are good with her craft, Mina imagined Jihyo sitting by her bedside while she knits and tell her stories. Mina smiled at the thought, somehow she wants to convince herself that Jihyo in't that bad.

 

The day went on slowly, Mina started to feel at ease with Jihyo hanging around, she's still very suspicious of her and her sometime super suspicious phone calls but she tries to see the good in her visits.

 

Jihyo would always bring presents for all of them, mostly gift baskets from her hotel but the gesture was very well appreciated, especially by Momo. Her eyes would light up every time Jihyo would come bearing with gifts.

 

"Hey how are you?" Jihyo asked one time during one of her visits.

 

Mina's voice was still a little hoarse from the intubation, being intubated for so long has some bad effects. "Doing pretty fine now. Thank you for the sweater, it really kept me warm most of the nights."

 

Jihyo smiled, "I'm glad you're feeling better now, the girls set you up on a two night stay at the hotel before you officially get back to the force. You just say when and I'll personally send my driver to come get you wherever you are." Jihyo said placing her hand on Mina's expecting Mina to flinch and take her hand away like Jihyo was on fire, but Mina never did.

 

Mina was truly touched by the initiative. "Could I have you over there as well? And the girls too? I've been so cooped up in this hospital and I really want a necessary change of scenery."

 

Jihyo nodded. "That would be fun, the presidential suite might be the perfect place to have a party of your return from the hospital."

  
 

Nayeon kept coming back to the hotel for quite some time, sensing the energy come and go, mostly going during the day, which baffled Nayeon as to how this demonic presence can exist in the light. The demonic energy once again when the elevator doors opened to reveal a woman in a red blouse and ripped jeans. Her short hair framing her face just right.

 

Nayeon used her angel eyes to see her back once she turned to get the door. and just as she thought she saw burned stumps where beautiful wing should be sprouting. Nayeon smiled, the fruit of her labor finally paid off. She found a fallen. After days of coming back and missing the energy for days by a hair and being frustrated in every fire message she had sent to heaven to the council of sisters.

  
 

Jihyo opened the doors of her hotel to Mina, Jeongyeon, Momo, Tzuyu, Chaeyoung and Dahyun.

 

"Welcome to Chateau Annie." Jihyo beamed.

 

Murmurs among the girls went on as they truly take in the massive space of the lobby, elegant spaces, aesthetics, and the warm homey interior of the place.

 

"I have to say your hotel is really beautiful Jihyo." Mina said to Jihyo who is beaming with pride.

 

"Let me give you girls the grand exclusive tour later once you've settled in." Jihyo said leading the group to the elevator.

  
 

Nayeon exited the neighborhood and to the back alley two blocks away, her face filled with glee as she found what she was looking for, well not exactly Ioathae but it's a demon.

 

She hurriedly said the incantation to start the fire message and get her message to heaven.

'Found a demon will question and investigate about her and Ioathae and if she knows about the killings. Happening around here.' She hurried write in runes and hurries back to the hotel.

 

 

The word swanky wasn't enough to describe the Chateau Annie in Jeongyeon's opinion, the presidential suite was even bigger than her and Mina's apartment.

Jihyo told them the story of how she came across to owning a hotel, apparently her mother had married a rich business man and when he died, her step-father left a ridiculous amount of money to both of them.

"Wow that is really something." Tzuyu said. "If I ever go out of work and go broke can you be my sugar mommy." She said as she laid spread eagle on the bed.

 

the stares from her friends apparent.

 

"And obviously you know I'm kidding. Right?" Tzuyu said.

 

And everybody laughed and went on what they were doing.

The tour of the hotel went off without a hitch, Jihyo told them of every inspiration to all the massive designs and architecture behind the hotel. Everyone was at awe.

 

The time came to going back to their room and the party begun.

 

Jihyo called up room service and ordered everything from the menu to be brought up to their room, and with each dish that the waiters tirelessly brought, everyone of them will finish. And by every one that meant Momo especially.

 

the party was in full swing with Sana and Momo imitating each other, Dahyun and Chaeyoung doing a rap battle with Tzuyu as their judge, and Jeongyeon just basking in the warm breeze of the night by the balcony.

 

Mina felt at ease finally got out of the hospital and is going to join the force again. That was until a knock came to their door when the food has already stopped coming.

 

Jihyo answered the door and Mina followed just behind her.

 

The woman behind the door had long curly hair cascading down her shoulders, eyes wide and brown as cocoa,she smiled revealing bucked but perfect teeth that only made her face look more attractive.

 

The woman said hello and good evening and spoke in a language completely foreign to Mina, she wanted to ask Jihyo but even she was unaware of Mina's presence.

 

Jihyo blinked she understood the language but it was so long ago when she used to speak it.

 

The woman asked again, and Jihyo is too surprised to move let alone speak.


	6. Knock Knock

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> People just wanna do Yoga and work out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh wow. Almost 2 months of not updating. Sorry about that, I was pretty much stumped and all. But again thank you to all you guys who waited for this update! and to those who are gonna star reading this, I hope you have fun reading. See you on the next update!

Jihyo's surprise didn't wear off until a few moments where the woman in front of her was waving her hand to Jihyo's face.

She spoke again this time in local language.

"Hello." She simply said awkward smile and twitching fingers and all.

Jihyo swallowed hard. "W-what can I do for you?" She mentally berates herself for being a stuttering mess. And she hasn't ever been this way. Well not if you count the day she first became vocal about her Dad being right.

"Oh. I'm sorry I thought you were the person I was looking for turns out I had the wrong door." Nayeon said, bowing and walking away.

That stunned and confused Jihyo even more.  


 

Days after the sleepover at the hotel, everyone was back in the swing of things.

Mina and Jeongyeon were mainly on call for duty at the department since they still needed time to fully recover from their injuries, still she can't shake the feeling when Jihyo opened the door to the strange woman.

She has used her many nights at home looking up any potential language it may have been. And thinking of any possible thing to translate what the woman said.

Sighing Mina took a long sip of her tea, scrolling past the new messages and the most recent message got her on her feet, grabbing her jacket and walking out the flat in a hurry.

 

 

The blood dripping and the lifeless body of the victim hanging in the aerial yoga silks hanging from the ceiling was the first thing Mina saw when she entered the room.

The lights flashed and Momo was already processing the scene.

"Get me up to speed, Mo." Mina said her gloves already on trying to avoid walking on the blood drips on the floor.

"Vic is the owner and trainer in this here private gymt with her brother who's also a trainer here. Brother and sister combo Taehyun Lee and Samwoo Lee. Processed most of the scene but we have someone special to process." Momo said grimly. 

Mina was redirected into the opposite room. A makeshift holding site for the people that were gonna be processed.

"Mina?" The voice came from the woman sitting down at the far end of the room.

"Jeongyeon? What are you doing here?" Mina asked setting down her kit next to her, noticing Jeongyeon's bloody clothes and hands.

"I want to tell you but Sana wanted me to tell it to a detective first. But let me cut it down for you." Jeongyeon sighed. "Been working out here a week after I got the all clear to go back to work and you were still in the hospital. Met Taehyun when I jogged past here, she was hosting a clinic for rehab. I signed up and before I know it I was going here thrice a week for the clinic."

Mina nodded, her camera shutter going off Jeongyeon's hands and clothes in the view as Mina clicked and shot away.

"Went to class today since it was Yoga week and Taehyun promised aerial silks. Got very excited bout it because it's gonna be like flying." Jeongyeon said showing her palms to the camera. "Everyone was waiting for Taehyun to open the door because she always likes to greet everyone before the class starts. I guess it was her way of checking up on us." Jeongyeon said.

"Okay Jeongyeonnie, you know the drill I would need your clothes." Mina said.

"Say no more." Jeongyeon said pulling the fitted shirt she was wearing over her head.

"Then what happened?" Mina said placing the shirt in a paper bag.

"Well it was thirty minutes late and it wasn't like Taehyun to start class late, so I told the receptionist to page her but she wasn't answering. The door was locked so I got worried. Called in her brother but he was a no show, so I got the receptionist to open up the doors for us and then we saw her, I ran in to check her pulse but with that many blood lost she's a goner." Jeongyeon sighed finishing putting on a brand new set of clothes.

"Well, Sana would want to hear everything. Momo will take you back to PD, I'll see what happened here, send everything to Chaeng. Hopefully whoever did this left something behind." Mina said shutting her kit and slinging her camera around her neck. "Looks like I'll be working this one without you Jeongyonnie.  


Mina started taking pictures of the scene, most of the evidences were already collected by Momo but she wanted to work on the blood. She pressed the record button on her voice recorder.

"Victim is female, late twenties, fitness instructor. Primary location located west of gym, owned and operated by the victim Taehyun Lee and brother Samwoo Lee. Blood pool suggest that the victim suffered significant blood loss, spattering of blood consistent with sharp force injury or blunt force trauma." Mina paused capturing photos and surveying more of her surroundings.   
  
"Directional blood drops suggest that the weapon was carried out of the room. No visible signs of blood out of the door leading to the hallway.." Mina said shining a light out to the hall.

Mina re-swabbed all of the surfaces that has blood, she was sure that Momo got all the swabs but she wanted to make sure and be as thorough as possible, she was about to leave when she noticed the handle of the adjacent room.

  


Business has been good for Chateau Annie, event after event has been happening there and Jihyo couldn't be any more busier than ever, but still she couldn't shake the face of the woman that came knocking on her hotel door. Her face might have been of a young woman, but her eyes holds more truth like she has been alive for centuries, not to mention the language that she was speaking, the language of angels; ancient and lost. And not many of them knows them and yet here was a woman clearly pretending to be human.

Jihyo sighed, her nerves are acting up again even after days of the incident. She needs to get away for a little while. she needs to go on a run, she picked up her office phone and her assistant answered.

"Yes Miss Park?" Her assistant's voice piercing through the receiver.

"Yeri, cancel all my meetings and appointments today. And tell Mister Young I won't be able to attend his daughter's ceremony. Send him my regards and have the team send him a gift basket with the wine he likes." Jihyo said, swiveling her chair to face the skyline behind her.

"Does this have anything to do with the lady that asked you?" Yeri asked, her voice serious.

"Yeri, just do as I say. I don't have time to play twenty questions with you right now and I've been losing focus as it is." Jihyo sighed. "This angel might have been keeping tabs on us. Why would she be here anyways?"

"No one could think of such a possibility." Yeri scoffed, her tone on the sarcastic side and Jihyo took notice.

"Say it again and I'll personally send you to hell. And not to that sweet, sweet place you call purgatory. The damned stays damned and you just might be one of them. I'll punish you myself if I have to Mazzan." She growled.

  


Tzuyu closed up her suture kit, the body of a beautiful woman yet again laid on her slab, sometimes she thinks that being the youngest medical examiner is all just a big joke. But then again she took comfort of being able to help the people that lays on her slab. 

Mina came knocking on the door and was granted permission to enter, one thing Tzuyu never liked was being disturbed while she performs the autopsies. But it was Mina and she was finished so she let her in.

"Hey Tzu." Mina said grimly. "Any luck in finding our cause of death?"

Tzuyu nodded. "COD suggests blunt force trauma, significant force exerted to bash her skull in, multiple bruises to her forearms suggest that she put up a fight. She also had a fractured jaw which meant she was struck to the face and then to the head." Tzuyu said, picking up her report. "Liver temp was reported and recorded at eighty-four degrees she's been dead for more or less eight hours by the time Momo saw her."

Mina nodded, "Pretty gory death for a zen instructor, question is who wanted her dead?"

  


Momo happened to be passing by the lab when Chaeyoung called her in. "Got your tox report, and DNA analysis. Got some help from Dahyun, finally some use for her in the lab. I wonder why Sana doesn't want her here her eyes and nose are a miracle to this Earth. Did you know she saw something odd in the tox report just by sniffing the aerial silk you brought in?" Chaeyoung rambled.

"Chaengie, chaengie." Momo placed a finger to Chaeyoung's lips, "The results of tox and DNA? You were saying you found something?"

Chaeyoung nodded. "I actually found some flunitrazepam in her system, she was knocked out. Before she was killed. I also ran the fingerprints you sent over, the blood was solely from out victim, although the silks tell us a different story. I found three DNA contributors, one obviously our victim and two unknown males."

Momo hummed. "Tzuyu didn't mention any sexual activity from the victim, no sperm collected either, when I interviewed the receptionist the said that the silks were delivered to the gym as a new installment for the class."

"Well the semen I found was only on the silk we found our dear old victim in. Talk about nasty but yeah. There was an unknown print on both hooks of the silks. I ran them through the DNA system and I got nothing." Chaeyoung said putting down her clipboard.

"Well Mina would wanna hear this so I'll head on over to Sana, let me know if you have anything. I'll check up n Dahyun too. I really wish we have Jeong working this case with us." Momo said walking away from Chaeyoung's door.

  


"Hey. You got a minute?" Mina peeked through Sana's door.

"You got something for me?" Sana said, her glasses perched on her nose reading a report.

"Yeah, Momo just came back from Dahyun. She processed the phone and we ran the victim's call logs and an hour before she was killed she got a phone call probably from who ever killed her." Mina sat down on the edge of Sana's desk.

"We got a name on this mystery caller?" Sana asked, taking off her glasses.

"We still need that warrant Sana-ya." She said tucking away a stray strand of hair behind Sana's ear. "Have you talked to Jeongyeon yet?"

Sana sighed, "She can't be on the case Minari. I believe that she was involved with the victim romantically."

Mina quirked an eyebrow obviously surprised. "What do you mean?"

"Well, apparently while you were in the hospital she was going out with our victim." Sana sighed. "This could be a complete conflict of interest and I won't risk Jeongyeon getting in trouble with internal affairs, I'm also confident that you and Momo working this case will turn up names and we can finally put the person who did this behind bars."

"Well as soon as we have that warrant I'll get you a name." Mina said getting up to leave Sana's office.

"Close the door on your way out, I'll get you that warrant." Sana said picking up her office phone.

  


Sweat was pouring down Jihyo's face, but she can't seem to stop running. Her head still cloudy with that voice trying to rack her memory on who that angel was and what she wanted with her.

She switch up the song on her phone again and blasted up the volume trying to drown her thoughts of the angel of the loud thumping bass in her ears.

Her lungs felt like it was going to explode, but she needed to run another lap in her opinion, but instead her mind is racing back to the face of the woman that knocked behind her hotel door. Frustrated, Jihyo grabbed her phone of her holster and dialed Yeri's number that was on speed dial.

The cheerful and peppy voice came at the end of Jihyo's receiver.

"Miss Park?" Yeri's voice curious for Jihyo's call when she has sent the brunette home early for cancelling all her meetings.

"Yeri, I need intel on every angel here on Earth, and I mean photos, angel names, vessel names, addresses. I need to know who that angel is and what she needs from me. No angel has ever set foot on Chateau Annie, except business from heaven." Jihyo angrily rambles quickening her pace towards the end of the park.

Jihyo rolled her eyes , thunder rumbling in the distance. Angels surely fight so hard they shake the heavens without their Father around, she fought hard to suppress a sneer, but she failed.

"Jihyo, are you sure about this? You know that we could lose a lot of leashed for this." Yeri said her tone growing more concerned.

"Yeri, you know damn well that if heaven is plotting something against my father then I have to put a stop to it. This concerns every demon including you. And if they think they can get rid of us then they have another thing coming." Jihyo said, smashing the end call button almost breaking her phone screen.

 

 

The warrant came as quick as Sana promised it would. And after that they wouldn't have any problems dealing with the phone company about call logs and names.

Mina sat in her in her office reviewing crime scene photos, re-reading the earlier reports, when Dahyun came knocking at her office door.

Mina motioned for her to come in.

"Hey." Dahyun sounded nervous, a tone Mina isn't used to. "I got the name of our mystery caller, you might wanna read this in Sana's office."

Mina took the folder containing the name of their possible suspect and left Dahyun in her office making way for Sana's.

Sana raised an eyebrow when Mina came barging in her office, "What's the matter Minari?"

"I have the name." Mina said tossing the folder on to Sana's desk. "Tell me who it is so we can arrest that son of a bitch."

Sana opened the folder and scanned through the details printed, and she couldn't contain her shock when she saw the name.

"Park Jihyo."Sana said in complete shock.

Mina's face mirrored Sana's shocked expression, "Jihyo? Like Jihyo that person we all are friends with? The one I told Jeongyeon and you, I think was bad news?"

"Mina, relax. I want to remain unbiased as possible. Just get her down here and talk to her." Sana said getting up from her chair and picking up her phone. "You need a warrant. Gear up and bring uniforms with you."

Mina parked her car in the basement of Chateau Annie with Jihyo's warrant in hand, five uniformed officers behind her. "Alright, we'll just ask her to come with us just nice and calm. If she doesn't we go cuff her and then we bring her to HQ."

 

 

The elevator ride to Jihyo's floor was awfully quiet, Mina's mind racing through all the possible things that can go and before she knows it the elevator doors open to Jihyo's private floor.

The floor was relatively empty, the few rooms on the floor has the lights and doors closed, except for Jihyo's office door that was ajar.

Mina walked to the door and pushed it open, revealing Jihyo's back to her while she was changing. Mina cleared her throat to alert Jihyo of her presence, and a scantily clad Jihyo turned around surprised to see Mina by her door.

"Mina!" Jihyo exclaimed, her fresh shirt covering er chest. "I-I didn't notice you were there. I thought the office was empty, I sent everyone home."

"I, uh. Sorry. I didn't mean to barge in like this. I'll give you a moment to change." Mina said closing the door.

"Oh, no. Please take a seat. I'll finish up." Jihyo said turning her back to Mina again and putting in on her shirt.

Mina tried to avoid looking at Jihyo's back; her toned back muscles and her slender shoulders, but what caught Mina's attention was turned to Jihyo's shoulder blades, the black spots on her back symmetrical in shape and placement. Mina marveled at Jihyo's odd birthmark.

Jihyo faced Mina again now fully dressed hair tied in a messy bun.

"Sorry again for barging in like that." Mina said.

Jihyo smiled, "No harm done. But what brings you here Mina? Anything I can help with?" she asked settling herself on the edge of her office table.

"Well I'm actually here to ask you to come to the HQ with me, well us." Mina said before getting cut off by Jihyo.

"Wait, wait. Us? Is Jeongyeon with you?" Jihyo asked, worry spread across her features.

Mina shook her head. "It's just routine questioning. Me and Sana just have a few questions and then we'll let you go."

Jihyo suddenly looked at Mina suspiciously.

"Or you think I did something that's why you're bring me down to your office. Is that it? Should I be talking to my lawyer?"

Mina sighed, "Jihyo please just come with me at HQ and then we'll see if you need your lawyer."

"And if I refuse?" Jihyo said, eyeing Mina from head to foot.

"Then I'd be force to slap some cuffs on you and have you escorted by the officers I'm with." Mina said trying to reason with Jihyo. Suddenly her doubts turned into concern for the woman she's facing.

"Fine, I will come with you and cooperate." She said picking up her phone making her way to the door. "I want to talk to my assistant after."

Mina nodded, standing up from her seat. "You can ride with the cops or you can ride with me. I promise I don't go beyond the speed limit and I have cup holders."

Jihyo smiled and walked out her office door.

  


Dahyun so lost in her digital world, tracking a killer wasn't her thing per se, being an old time hacker had its perks before. But ever since she was busted by Sana in a sting op she was offered a chance to live a new life again. Not behind bars.

Perhaps living the life of good is okay, but Dahyun isn't going back to her old ways. Not when she has something cares more about now than just making money.

Her thoughts were interrupted with Chaeyoung standing in front of her.

"I need you to look at this." Chaeyoung said, holding a sheet of paper. "This is the result of the semen I found on the silk sheets."

Dahyun carefully skimmed the name. "Samwoo Lee. Nice. It's always the brother isn't it?"

Chaeyoung smacked her arm. "Focus, now there was no match on the other male contributor. But I think I know how it got on there."

  
  


Mina took a deep breath, Sana was already waiting for her out of the interrogation room. She steadied herself once more. Unsure why is it that she was suddenly like this when she's done this a hundred times in the past. Alone, or with anyone with the team. Mina knew that this isn't how she should feel like going into questioning.

She looked at the glass in front of her, and Jihyo was clear as day. Her short wavy locks, in her plain but neat tee. She still looked amazing. ' _Stop it Myoui. Objective. She's your friend but right now she can be a possible suspect in a homicide.'_   She chides herself.

The door to the recording/listening room swung open as Sana walked in. "Well, this is the time to not trust her, Mina. Remember, we're doing our jobs; let's not let any personal biases affect the interrogation."

Mina has always been amazed how Sana can turn from a bubbly, sweet person to a strict, take-no-bull shit, serous, will probably kill you if you lie type of captain and leader. She nodded taking a deep breath before she steps out into the interrogation room.

"Detective Myoui, Captain Minatozaki." Jihyo nodded curtly.

"Jihyo." Sana greeted, her usual bubbly and playful tone replaced of a flat tone. "I'm sure you're wondering why you're here."

"Quite frankly I am." Jihyo said lacing her fingers together on the table.

"Well we identified your number in one of our cases." Sana said. "Where were you earlier between five to seven am?"

"I was early in our office, I had a drive around the neighborhood, I dropped by a coffee shop to grab a breakfast meal since I had a full day today." Jihyo shifted in her seat.

"Can anyone confirm that?" Mina added.

"I think the coffee shop has some security cams. I was at the office before six am. Read and responded to all my emails, and yes my assistant was there already she can confirm that." Jihyo continued.

"Well this is the victim. Do you know her?" Mina said laying a photo of Taehyun on Tzuyu's slab.

Jihyo swallowed hard. "Taehyun. Yeah I know her. I have no idea this happened to Taehyun." Lie. Jihyo definitely knew why Taehyun died, but she wasn't about to tell two cops that Taehyun's soul was already in bliss and that a reaper reported to her about Taehyun's passing. "You don't think I killed her do you?" Jihyo looked at Mina and then Sana.

"Jihyo, we also linked your bank statement and transactions to Taehyun, she's been wiring you money since last year." Mina said laying a stack of papers in front of Jihyo.

"I'm her client. Since I started running the hotel it wasn't much of an easy task to do, but nonetheless I love doing what I do. I met Taehyun before she put up shop with her brother, I loaned her some money to put up her business and she's been paying for it ever since, I didn't want her to pay it back because she was like a sister to me, but she insisted on paying, so I told her could just pay me half. I also hired her to be my full time personal trainer.

"So, you wouldn't mind giving us a sample of your DNA to compare the DNA we found at the crime scene?" Mina leaned on the table.

Not at all, Mina. I'd be happy to cooperate with you with anything that you need. That being said, my hotel, my office and staff, and my penthouse are for your perusal. If you'd like I'm available to start with the DNA sample, as I have nothing to hide and I want to be of help."

Mina and Sana exchanged looks, "Well Mina, we have her permission we just need warrants. I'll work on it as soon as possible. In the meantime you can take Jihyo's DNA. Have the Chaeyoung send the results to my office as soon as she gets it." Sana said standing up from her seat. "I'll let you know as soon as we have the warrants and when we're going to one of your properties."

 

Mina led Jihyo to a holding room and drew the blinds.

Jihyo was looking around. "You're not going to hurt me are you detective?"

Mina smiled weakly as she laid her DNA swab kit on the table near the seat. "Sana would have me arrested in a snap, so no need to worry about that."

"Alright so I'm just going to swab the inside of your cheek and then I'm going to need the clothes you're wearing right now so we can process them."

Jihyo nodded. "Well we should get started then."

Mina swabbed the inside of Jihyo's cheeks, Jihyo's intense gaze watching over Mina's every action.

"What's wrong?" Mina asked, closing up the swab and bagging it as evidence.

Jihyo hummed. "Nothing. I guess I figured you just didn't like me that's all." She said matter of factly. "I mean the first time I met you I swear I thought you saw the devil." Jihyo laughed.

Mina joined in the laughter, albeit she still has recurring nightmares about the coma and the shooting, she has the courage now to talk and laugh about it, when Jihyo's face turned pensive, not a single crease was even visible on her face.

"What if I am a devil, Mina?" Jihyo's tone almost hypnotic to Mina and as weird as it sounded, Mina was sure she heard layers of voices in Jihyo's voice, she suddenly feels nauseated and sick to her stomach.

But when Jihyo smiled and laughed like she was doing earlier, the nauseating feeling was gone as soon as it came.

"I'm kidding, Mina. I'm just trying to lighten the mood. Seeing as I'm a possible suspect in this after all aren't I?"

Mina didn't answer but she motioned for Jihyos clothes so she can bag them.

When Jihyo stood up to take her shirt off Mina saw the odd birthmark again, this time they looked as if it was burned into her skin instead if it looking like a birthmark.

"Jihyo.." Mina started, wanting to ask Jihyo the story of her birthmarks, but then decided to not ask. "I'll go ahead and stay by the door, you can hand your clothes to me on your way out. I got you some sweats and a tee to change into. I'll take you to Sana afterwards."


End file.
